With the popularity of shows like “Shark Tank” it seems like everyone has caught the entrepreneurial bug. That, coupled with the findings that 87% of employees are either “not engaged” or are “actively disengaged” in their jobs, makes it apparent that companies need to take a new approach to employee engagement… or run the chance of losing some of its best and brightest. While leaving the corporate nest might seem alluring, with 90% of businesses failing in the first 5 years, many don’t realize the entrepreneurial path is extremely challenging.

Felena Hanson, long-time entrepreneur, author and educator, will share her inspirational story of “outside the box” thinking and will lead an interactive session on how employees can tap into the new “80/20 rule” and define the keys to building an entrepreneurial ecosystem within their company.

2. Flight Club: A Story of Rebellion, Reinvention, and Liberation (Talk)Tone: InspirationalAudience: Any

In Felena Hanson’s high-energy presentation, Flight Club, she shares her story in an open, vulnerable style, which is both inspirational and dynamic. Felena challenges audiences with the question, “What could you achieve if nothing stood in your way?” With a call to action for a commitment to create something new, Felena relates examples from her life of challenges, to reinvention and ultimately, liberation.

As a non-repentant rebel and self-admitted rules breaker, Felena started her first business at age 8, traveled Western Europe alone, and can often be seen inciting pop-up dance parties on the streets of San Diego. A life-threatening car accident, at age twenty-two, caused her to take stock of her life, re-evaluate her direction and set big goals for herself. Felena’s early career in the fast-paced technology industry resulted in three layoffs the age of 30. Also at 30 she faced a failed marriage and business, which caused her to again re-evaluate her life’s path.

Never one to dwell on what has happened to her, but to always shift her focus forward, she eventually launched Hera Hub, with a vision to support over 20,000 women with the launch and growth of their business all over the world.

As women, we give so much of ourselves as we move through the many transitions in our lives – off to college, first job, marriage, children, career path, divorce, layoffs, business launch, business fail, empty nest, illness, etc. Because women are often the glue that holds everything together, it’s easy for us to push through each phase with a focus on others—forgetting who “WE” really are and what “WE” really want out of life.

The path to reinvention can take many forms—from listening to an inner voice, to recognizing an unexpected opportunity, to challenging and overcoming either self-doubt or the status quo. Reinventing doesn’t mean devaluing or eliminating all that came before you. In fact, all of the decisions, insights, struggles, triumphs, achievements, and disappointments have made you the valuable person you are—and are the building blocks for the person you are to become.

It can sometimes feel daunting to take, what can feel like, a big leap into the next phase of your life, so in this hands-on workshop Felena Hanson will help guide you through a simple process to match your experiences, talents, and passions with market opportunity— so that you may take that step into the next beautiful phase of your life!

When Felena Hanson conceived the concept for Hera Hub she knew she wanted to build something bigger than herself. Since her prior business, a Marketing Strategy Consulting Firm, was service-based, she faced the classic e-myth scenario… trading time for dollars.

Learn how Felena’s father and family pet influenced her to become an entrepreneur and how she took her coworking concept from idea to profitable business to a licensing opportunity in just two years!

5. Five Secrets to Being Fearless (Talk)Tone: InspirationalAudience: All audiences

With the rise of women, in both the corporate and start-up worlds, we still see vast difference in how men and women perceive risk, and thus progress in their professional career. In this talk, Felena Hanson, explores numerous research studies that explain why men and women approach risk differently and what effects that has on every aspect of our lives. She offers practical advice on re-framing this fear and the inspiration to help women take the “leap” into something new.

“We have been trying to bring Felena in for over a year… to speak with our Women’s Network. Her talk was FABULOUS and just what we’d hoped for to inspire our community.”Karen, Vice President, Corporate Marketing & Communications, Illumina, Inc.

“Felena is not only knowledgeable but also engaging. She really knows how to draw in the audience and deliver information that people can apply to their business immediately. We are looking forward to having her speak at upcoming conferences.”Silvia, President, National Association of Women MBAs

“On behalf of the MIT Enterprise Forum San Diego Board I would like to thank you for serving as moderator at the MIT Enterprise Forum start-up ecosystem program last night. Your preparation on the topic and your natural ability to smoothly transition from one speaker to the next – and to keep the program light and fun – created an engaging, entertaining discussion that I know the audience found valuable. It was a pleasure participating on the panel with you.”Mike, Chapter Chair, MIT Enterprise Forum

“We greatly enjoyed having Felena speak at our WITI event. She received some of the highest ratings we’ve ever received at a luncheon. Her talk was timely and relevant. The case studies were especially helpful in giving our attendees real world examples they could relate to.”Carey H., President, Women in Technology International